Concord man arrested for tickling children in South Street park

A 35-year-old Concord man was arrested Monday after an investigation found he tickled at least three children not related to him in a park on South Street last week.

David Johnson, of Perley Street, was released on $15,000 personal recognizance bail but is prohibited from returning to that park or any other park in the city and cannot have contact with juveniles unrelated to him, said Lt. Tim O’Malley of the Concord Police Department.

On April 17 around 6 p.m., a 9-year-old girl who lived nearby told her mother she saw Johnson tickling children in the park, which is near the intersection of Perley and South streets. The mother went outside and yelled at Johnson, who was sitting on a bench, prompting him to go over to a 5-year-old child and tickle him. The mother and another adult male continued to yell at Johnson until he eventually left the park, then she reported his behavior to the police, O’Malley said.

An investigation revealed that Johnson allegedly tickled at least three children, ages 3, 5 and 7 who were not related to him. The tickling included lifting up their shirts and touching their bare stomachs, O’Malley said. The investigation is ongoing.

“It was quite a stir in this park, so I think it (is) important for the neighborhood to know what’s going on down there,” O’Malley said.

Johnson will be arraigned on May 20 in Concord’s district court. Anyone with more information is encouraged to contact the Concord Police Department.